Mushroom trip sends naked, bleeding man to hospital, police say

Published: Sunday, April 28, 2013 at 9:07 p.m.

Last Modified: Sunday, April 28, 2013 at 9:07 p.m.

Police assisted a 20-year-old Gainesville man early Saturday morning who was found naked and bleeding on West University Avenue after eating psilocybin mushrooms and crashing through a window, according to a report.

After ingesting the hallucinogenic mushrooms, Nicholas Koster stripped naked and ran from his friends’ apartment at 111 NW 15th St. when they called 911, the Gainesville Police Department report said.

Police found Koster on West University Avenue near Chipotle around 4 a.m., and he resisted officers as they tackled him to the ground. Koster had a laceration on his back from jumping from the first-floor window pane of his friends’ apartment, police said.

Koster was not in possession of any drugs when apprehended by police and does not face any charges.

A similar incident occurred a week earlier when Michael Joseph Silecchia, a University of Florida student, was arrested for wandering naked around Campus Club apartments at 4000 SW 37th Blvd. after taking LSD. He was charged with battery on a medical care provider, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer.

The incident occurred around 1:25 a.m. last Saturday. Silecchia, 19, spoke randomly about God and told people, first, not to cut off his penis, and then to cut it off, police said.

Silecchia refused to dress himself when approached by police. He attempted to walk away from police, who then physically restrained him. Silecchia struggled with law enforcement, punching one officer in the head. Police hit Silecchia with a Taser about six times, but it had no effect, police said.

He was then taken to Shands at the University of Florida where he spit on Shands employees, police said.

<p>Police assisted a 20-year-old Gainesville man early Saturday morning who was found naked and bleeding on West University Avenue after eating psilocybin mushrooms and crashing through a window, according to a report.</p><p>After ingesting the hallucinogenic mushrooms, Nicholas Koster stripped naked and ran from his friends' apartment at 111 NW 15th St. when they called 911, the Gainesville Police Department report said.</p><p>Police found Koster on West University Avenue near Chipotle around 4 a.m., and he resisted officers as they tackled him to the ground. Koster had a laceration on his back from jumping from the first-floor window pane of his friends' apartment, police said.</p><p>Koster was not in possession of any drugs when apprehended by police and does not face any charges.</p><p>A similar incident occurred a week earlier when Michael Joseph Silecchia, a University of Florida student, was arrested for wandering naked around Campus Club apartments at 4000 SW 37th Blvd. after taking LSD. He was charged with battery on a medical care provider, battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting an officer.</p><p>The incident occurred around 1:25 a.m. last Saturday. Silecchia, 19, spoke randomly about God and told people, first, not to cut off his penis, and then to cut it off, police said.</p><p>Silecchia refused to dress himself when approached by police. He attempted to walk away from police, who then physically restrained him. Silecchia struggled with law enforcement, punching one officer in the head. Police hit Silecchia with a Taser about six times, but it had no effect, police said.</p><p>He was then taken to Shands at the University of Florida where he spit on Shands employees, police said.</p>